CooperHouse will be providing some graphic & web support over the next few days and we will, of course, be at the events soaking up all the awesome food.

Speaking of awesome people with cute beards, my husband Tim and I are about to celebrate our 9 year anniversary. We just celebrated our 10 year dating anniversary, which means that YES, we got married one year after we met, which is true. And all the more impressive when you consider that we spent at least 3 months of that year broken up and convinced that we couldn’t make it work. But then, we just wised up and got married anyway. It’s worked so far — and here we are planning our 9 year anniversary and our first NIGHT TOTALLY AWAY FROM OUR KIDS. We wanted to leave town, but I don’t think we can… Elise still needs contact lens help, so we may have to wait until she’s old enough to do that on her own. If anyone wants to be in charge of putting in/taking out a contact lens for a 4 year old, let me know. ;)  As a dating anniversary present for Tim, I made him a Pinterest board commemorating a bunch of fun memories from our first year together. :)

( Here is Tim all dusty & taped up from rock climbing. Gah. The cuteness. Also featured, other people’s funky sneakers. Gross.)

I know I’ve promised you pictures from the cabin, but I’m still getting updates from my Dad almost everyday, so I want to wait until I can show you all the finished kitchen and loft. Eeek!

Please be sure to enter the Pick My Palette challenge! I’d love to get lots of ideas from you all on new & fresh color combinations. You can enter up to FIVE times and stand a chance to win a Stretched Canvas print of the work you helped inspire.

I’ve also rounded up a few links that I’m obsessed with:

1. PUMPED UP KICKS by Foster The People Listen to this about 5 times and then you’ll get it.

2. I know I always repost stuff from Design Crush, and it’s not because Kelly is my client, (even though she is!) it’s because I want to MAKE OUT with all her blog posts. Especially this one featuring all these cutie cute things by Alyson Fox. Someone please buy me all the things.

3. I saw this post on A Practical Wedding about ditching your expensive wedding and eloping instead. Now obviously, my wedding day is long since past, but I do think about it sometimes in the context of all those expectations. I am glad that we did what we did, and it was a great day, but given the chance, I think maybe I’d have enjoyed an elopement and then a big party after. Call me crazy, (Go ahead, I don’t mind!) but all the stress & fussing seems like it’s often about other people’s expectations, and who wants to start off a marriage like that? My marriage has definitely been all about redefining the roles of a husband and wife, so maybe this is just my egalitarian streak showing. That said, I’d still have gotten a bomb dress. You know that I can’t pass up an opportunity to dress to the nines. ;)

Have a LOVELY weekend and I’ll see you back here soon!

~e

This lovely image is © angela hardison

I’m excited to launch my 2nd annual Pinterest Challenge and to give one of my readers a chance to win an 18″ x 18″ canvas print by yours truly. :) The Pick My Palette Challenge is simple. You create a Pinterest board and collect a set of images illustrating a single palette, or collection of colors, that you would like to see in a painting. If I choose your palette for the challenge, then you will receive a stretched canvas print of the painting created from your color palette choice.

1) Create a board on Pinterest labeled “Pick My Palette” and curate all your images there. You can see a sample of the types of images I like to save for inspiration on my PINTEREST BOARD.

2) EVERY SINGLE ITEM in your layout or board MUST be credited to the proper source.  If you do not include a link to every source for your board items it will be not be eligible for consideration in this challenge. Crediting sources is important and if you participate in the Pick My Palette challenge, you are responsible for making sure your items are labeled and linked properly. If you’re not sure of the source, then don’t use the item.

3) You MUST post the Pinterest board link here in the comment section.

4) You may enter up to five palettes, but you may not have any overlap in your items. i.e., you can’t use the same inspiration image in one that you use in another. Each board must be original.

5) You may also receive a bonus entry (after entering at least one board) for tweeting about this challenge using the hashtag #pickmypalette and my twitter name @pippinpearl. Simply post the link to your tweet in our comment section.

6) You will be judged on your overall color choice coolness factor. :)  There is a lot of room for creativity here and I am super excited to see what colors you choose & inspiration images you find!

This contest ends on July 1st, 2013. I will announce the winner on July 5th, 2013. Winner will receive a stretched canvas 18″ x 18″ print (valued at $95) of the painting created by Erin Cooper shipped to their home. Pick My Palette Challenge open to U.S. Residents only. Good luck!

new workout shoes to help motivate me.

I am not an athlete. I mean that I lack coordination, speed, and a general desire to punish my body. I also suffer from years of military work-out trauma I’m still working through. Group runs? Pushups tests? 72 billion situps until you barf? UGH. I will say that the exception for me has generally been any kind of outdoor activity, as long as it’s not running. I have always liked hiking, biking, and rock climbing. There was no shortage of stuff to do outside in Colorado and we definitely lived OUT more there than we do here.

Cut from my mid-2o’s where fitness seemed pretty incidental compared to the fun I was having. I took the muscle tone of my youth for granted! I just assumed that when I needed my strength, it would always be there. NOT SO after having two babies and a few years of pretty much zero fitness effort. I blame it on being in survival mode with two small children, but I think it’s more than just that. I got out of the habit and that is where I found myself last month.

Cut to today, my mid-30′s where I find myself at the mercy of my trainer while he attempts to transform my scrawny beat-up mom body into something that it used to be. Strong. I told him I really am not that concerned with bathing suit hotness. I’m more interested in feeling energetic and having some power back in my body — and hopefully learning some better habits about caring for myself.  So periodically you may hear me whining on twitter about this HORRIBLE MAN forcing me to lift things and squat things and ARGH!  However, if you do, please remind me that I asked for this. :)

And, a few links for you guys to absorb this weekend:

1. I did a little refresh for my friend Kaleen’s blog as a birthday gift. I always say the gift of TIME is best and I think she agrees!

2. I’m in love with this little teepee for kids on La La Lovely.

3. Design Crush just highlighted this awesome photo series, The Pantone Project, that you have to go see!

4. Crushing hard on the zany & zaftig Justina Blakeney modeling her cute new bathing suit.

5. I’m totally going to make this Strawberry Jam from Wit & Whistle. It looks so easy!

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend! I’m going to be finishing up some paintings, and posting a few sneak peeks of our summer cabin and the ideas I have for decorating it. Catch you on the flip side!